Archive for the ‘Workout Routines’ Category
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010
Overhead Pressing Strategy
Update: here’s another blast from the past. Dating back to November 2, 2007, this was one of my first posts on overhead presses and it still rings true.
The four most important exercises for any serious weight lifter to obsess about are the squat, deadlift, bench press, and overhead press. Today, I am going to discuss how to properly perform a standing overhead press (aka shoulder press or military press), and a push press. Both motions are obviously used to push objects overhead. Clearly, overhead pressing is not only extremely functional but is fundamental in helping to build a firm athletic base regardless of your fitness goals.
I am going to be using a barbell in this explanation, but it can be performed with any reasonable object. First of all, load a bar appropriately and bring the weight to the front your shoulders. You can either clean the weight from the floor like an Olympic weightlifter or you can load the bar at the desired height in a squat rack.
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Tags: pressing, shoulders, weightlifting
Posted in Conditioning, Weight Training, Workout Routines | 8 Comments »
Monday, August 9th, 2010
How to Increase Your Squat By 100 Pounds in 10 Weeks
Update: Here is an old post I found about increasing your squat strength. I’m not sure that anyone ever really gave me much positive feedback on it, so I’m posting it again in case anyone wants to take a stab at putting 100 pounds on their squat in 10 weeks.
The squat is arguably the best exercise that any athlete can perform. Overhead press, bench press, and deadlifts rank right up there too, but I digress… No one wants to have a weak squat. To be considered ‘really strong’ you should be able to squat 2x your bodyweight.
Back in college I was regularly squatting 450 or so at a fluctuating bodyweight of 190-210 lbs. I have no genetic gifts when it comes to muscle size and strength. If I can lift 450 anyone can, so man up and put in some effort.
The goals of this workout plan are:
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Tags: how to, intensity, powerlifting, squats, squatting, training, weightlifting, Workout Routines
Posted in Weight Training, Workout Routines | 77 Comments »
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
How to Increase Your Bench Press Strength
I get plenty of questions in various comments throughout the website, but I also get comments and questions via the Project Swole Contact Form.
Generally I address those questions through e-mail, but often I do not have the time to reply to each and every question personally.
The category, Your Health Questions is a more proactive approach to answering your questions so that everyone can benefit from the Q & A.
Mark asked:
Hi Steve.
My Goal is to bench 500 lbs. Currently pushing 420 Legal Lift raw. Chest work out consists of 1 warm up set of 135 for 20 reps. 1 set of 10 reps @ 315. 3 sets of 3 at 405. then 2 or 3 sets of 10 at 315. Then machine pec flyes to finish.
Program is Day 1 Chest and Bi’s / Day 2 Shoulders and Traps / Day 3 Back and Tri’s / Day 4 Legs
Two rest days that vary.
Supplements are Noxipro Pre-work out. Beast SuperTest and Isopure Protein.
What are your recommendations to help get to 500?
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Posted in Weight Training, Workout Routines, Your Questions | 11 Comments »
Friday, March 12th, 2010
Increasing Your Vertical Jumping Ability
A single vertical jump for maximum height is one of the most intense exercises you can do.
Why? Because it requires you to utilize your entire lower body chain in a maximal effort contraction, to produce a maximal amount of force in a split second.
The important aspects of training to work on, to increase your vertical leap include:
- Squatting strength – Maximal leg strength transfers directly to a vertical jump. A strong 1 rep max = a big jump.
- Squatting speed – The faster you can squat, the more power you can generate, the higher you can jump.
- Squatting power – Tied in directly with speed and strength, squat heavier and squat faster and you will jump higher.
- Acceleration - You want to continue accelerating out of the hole all the way through the top of your jump.
- Single leg strength – To eliminate strength imbalances and to improve neuromuscular coordination, train your legs individually.
- Calf strength – Your calves are used at the end of the jump, so max calf strength can mean an extra inch on your vert.
- Sprint speed – Sprinting trains the Type-II Fast Twitch muscle fibers, which are what you need to attain your highest jump. Acceleration applies here as well.
- Hip drive – Your hips are responsible for a significant portion of jumping power from a parallel squat position to standing.
- Glute activation – Your glutes are responsible for driving you out of the hole at the bottom of a squat or jump.
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Tags: glutes, hips, jump squat, jumping, jumping rope, jumps, leaping, leg training, legs, plyometrics, squats, squatting, vertical
Posted in Conditioning, Fitness Tips, Weight Training, Workout Routines | 4 Comments »
Sunday, March 7th, 2010
For those of you who do not check the old routines regularly, please see the updated Men’s Full Body Training for Fat Loss and Women’s Full Body Training for Fat Loss, as I have added example HIIT routines to days 2, 4, and 6.
Thanks,
Steve
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Tags: fat loss, lose fat, workout routine, Workout Routines
Posted in Workout Routines | 4 Comments »
Monday, February 8th, 2010
So apparently Bob Greene is Oprah’s personal trainer. He is credited with giving Oprah an exercise and nutrition plan that has actually helped her maintain a healthy weight.
** Comment on this post to qualify to win a free copy of this DVD. **
Obviously you must know by now that Oprah started off huge, lost a ton of weight, ballooned back up again, lost it again, gained it all back, etc… But from what I understand, thanks to Bob Greene’s workout plan and nutrition tips, she is finally maintaining a healthy weight.
Free Product Alert!
Allow me to announce Project Swole’s most recent free giveaway: Bob Greene’s Total Body Makeover DVD.
I haven’t watch this, nor will I, but I can tell you what it says on the DVD package.
- An 8-Week Program for Maximum Results in Minimum Time
- 8 Express Workouts on 1 DVD – Customized for Every Level
- Nutrition and Diet Advice
- Motivational Tools
- Bonus: A 24 Page Makeover Plan
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Tags: bob greene, dvd, fat loss, giveaway, lose fat, lose weight, oprah, Product Reviews, weight loss
Posted in Conditioning, Workout Routines | 3 Comments »
Monday, February 1st, 2010
Now you can download the Full Body Plus HIIT for Fat Loss workout routines in Excel spreadsheet format. You can use these files to print out the routine and take it to the gym on a clipboard, keep track of your progress on the computer, or both.
The Full Body Plus HIIT Fat Loss Routine for Men can be found here:
Click this link to go to the download section of the post so you can download your spreadsheet!
The Full Body Plus HIIT Fat Loss Routine for Women can be found here:
Click this link to go to the download section of the post so you can download your spreadsheet!
I made some changes to the programs as well. Going through them I realized that there will almost always be time to complete those optional sets at the end of the routine, so I made the “e” exercises mandatory and added an additional abdominal exercise to make a super-set.
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Tags: fat loss, hiit, lose fat, lose weight, spreadsheet, weight loss, Weight Training, Workout Routines
Posted in Workout Logs, Workout Routines | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Originally posted: 1/27/10
Updates:
2/1/10 updated routine, added Excel spreadsheet workout logs)
3/8/10 added example HIIT routines for days 2, 4, and 6.
Many of you are asking for a full body workout routine to burn fat, so here you go.
I have even customized the program for both men and women.
You can skip the details and go straight to the routines if you wish:
The Program
We are integrating 3 full body training sessions with 3 HIIT routines and taking the 7th day off. Since the goal is fat loss, we are striving to add some muscle mass, maintain strength, and burn as many calories as possible.
This is accomplished by staying in a slightly higher rep range than we would normally use for strictly strength training, while using super-sets for most of our exercises. We add an optional set to the end of each workout in case you are able to finish the workout early.
Major compound exercises are rotated to prioritize a different muscle group on each of the 3 training sessions each week.
(more…)
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Tags: Conditioning, fat loss, full body, hiit, lose fat, lose weight, weight loss, Weight Training, weightlifting, workout routine, Workout Routines
Posted in Conditioning, HIIT Routines, Weight Training, Workout Routines | 231 Comments »
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Originally posted: 1/26/10
Updates:
2/1/10 updated routine, added Excel spreadsheet workout logs)
3/8/10 added example HIIT routines for days 2, 4, and 6.
Many of you are asking for a full body workout routine to burn fat, so here you go.
I have even customized the program for both men and women.
You can skip the details and go straight to the routines if you wish:
The Program
We are integrating 3 full body training sessions with 3 HIIT routines and taking the 7th day off. Since the goal is fat loss, we are striving to add some muscle mass, maintain strength, and burn as many calories as possible.
This is accomplished by staying in a slightly higher rep range than we would normally use for strictly strength training, while using super-sets for most of our exercises. We add an optional set to the end of each workout in case you are able to finish the workout early.
Major compound exercises are rotated to prioritize a different muscle group on each of the 3 training sessions each week.
(more…)
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Tags: Conditioning, fat loss, full body, hiit, lose fat, lose weight, weight loss, Weight Training, weightlifting, workout routine, Workout Routines
Posted in Conditioning, HIIT Routines, Weight Training, Workout Routines | 34 Comments »
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
Now you can download the Werewolf Training for Strength Gains workout routines in Excel spreadsheet format. You can use these files to print out the routine and take it to the gym on a clipboard, keep track of your progress on the computer, or both.
The routine with 2 days of rest on the weekend and with rest every 4th and 7th days are both there.
Click this link to go to the download section of the post so you can download your spreadsheets!
Other workout logs are coming shortly. I’ll try to whip up some workout logs for the full body routine, 3×5, and some of the other routines too, but right now I’m working on the Project Swole redesign so don’t hold your breath.
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Tags: gain strength, strength, strength gain, werewolf, Workout Logs, Workout Routines
Posted in Workout Logs, Workout Routines | No Comments »
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